Bilat Mast scars "dropping" with time?

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LoriL
LoriL Member Posts: 185
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

Hello Ladies, I need your help! I had a bilat mast without reconstruction 5/2009. I had radiation on my left side that summer, and then was fitted for mast. bras that winter. For the first year, my prostheses and bras (size 36A) were pretty comfortable. This past year, though, they have gotten increasingly uncomfortable and I can hardly stand to wear them. The bras feel tight around my chest, and I constantly feel as if they are "riding up." I've got 3 different kinds, and none of them are comfortable anymore. The side that was radiated is usually the most uncomfortable, which I am assuming is from more scar tissue. But now the other side bothers me, too.

I'm fairly thin, and at first I thought the uncomfortable feeling was because I had gained 10 lbs last year. But, I have since lost that weight and they are still bugging me. Today I only had it on for an hour and it was already driving me crazy. When I looked closer after taking my bra off, it looks like maybe my scars have "dropped" with time. Is that normal? On both side, the edges that are closest to my sternum are only about 1/2 inch above the bra line. The scars sorta tilt up, and on the other end are about 1- 1 1/2 inches above the bra line.

I know women sometimes need to be "refitted" after a certain amount of time, and maybe that is what I need to do. But I wonder if I am going to have trouble with any bra because of the scars being so low?  Do people ever have to have revisions done to raise the scar line? Any input you have would be wonderful! I'm going "flat" a lot of the time these days, which I don't mind. But, it is getting into sweater season now, and a lot of my clothing would look better if I could wear my prostheses.

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  • beacon800
    beacon800 Member Posts: 922
    edited November 2011

    I had BMX in dec 09, but no rads. Like you I had no recon. I have not noticed a dropping of the scars so far. I wear my bras very loose and use extenders on a 36b bra. I am quite thin but don't like the feel of anything constricting my chest area. Maybe you could find some more comfortable bras and foobs? I use regular bras, the softest materials I can find, no underwires and sew in my own pockets (very easy to do). I use the micro bead ultra lightweight foobs most of the time and I am comfortable.

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  • undercoverebel
    undercoverebel Member Posts: 646
    edited November 2011

    I noticed one scar dropped after wearing that "corset" they gave me w/the fake,cotton boobs.Didn't zip all the way up but had a tighter shirt on and it felt tight. Had worn it for a day and a half and noticed it dropped. It was 24 days after the bmx and I hadn't worn it before. I called the bc rn at my hospital and she felt it was the fluid and said I have good flexibility for recon. Time will tell if she was right,does concern me though. And I am pretty sure I have bigger skin now than right after the surgery. Seems to me the fluid or whatever is bulging,under the breast line and on the inside. More than I remember but really how can I remember everything about this stuff? I don't measure but it looks diff to me. Hope that helps,of course it probably doesn't as we're both just confused together now,hahaha.

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited November 2011

    Hi Lori,

    I'm sorry things have gotten uncomfortable. I think for most women, things improve or at least stay the same. I'm wondering whether you might benefit from some physical therapy, since it's possible that scar tissue has caused adhesions, where the scar tissue under your incisions has attached to the skin. In your case maybe that's pulled the incision scars downward, toward your bra band line. You might ask your doctor for a referral to someone who specializes in working with breast cancer patients. 

    On BreastFree.org, my non-profit website, there's a section on Physical Therapy, which you might find helpful. At the end of that section, there's a link that will help you find a PT in your area if your doctor can't suggest one.

    Barbara

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  • LoriL
    LoriL Member Posts: 185
    edited November 2011

    Thank you for the suggestions! Maybe I just need looser bras, but will consider the PT option as well.

    Thanks again! 

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited November 2011

    I had occupational therapy for scar tissue adhesions. They had gotten so bad that in five months, my shoulders were hunched and slouched forward. I knew I had some tightness, but after they were able to release some of the adhesions, I had such a feeling of relief. Somewere in the middle of it, I remember feeling them come back in between session. I had two one hour sessions a week. If I had a session on a Thursday, and not another one til Tuesday, I would feel thing tighten up. I hope you can find a solution to your problem.

    I had my BMX w/node dissection on 1/11/11 and I still can not wear bras because of PMPS. And I really don't mind. I have little "boobs" leftover from the surgery. Big enough to seem like a real breast but small enough that I don't need to wear a bra and my partner gets to see some "cleavage" when I wear certain shirts so he's happy too.

    Good luck to you and please let us know how you are doing!

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